WorldStar Packaging Award for new trigger spray pump
Werner & Mertz and Berry Global receive award for recycling record holder
It is the second prestigious award Werner & Mertz has been given for its latest innovation. For the spray pump designed for the circular economy, the Mainz family company and cooperation partner Berry Global have received the WorldStar Packaging Award 2023 in the Household category. Immo Sander, Head of Packaging Development at Werner & Mertz, accepted the award at the official ceremony during the Interpack trade fair in Düsseldorf.
From 488 submissions—including the spray pump from Werner & Mertz and Berry Global—the 45-member international jury for the World Packaging Ogranization (WPO) selected the winners from 37 countries in 18 categories.
“We are pleased about this important international recognition of our conscientiously practiced circular economy. It was a challenge to develop this trigger spray pump because we wanted to put a high share of recyclate in the functional parts, noticeably reduce the overall weight and increase the pump’s performance,” said Werner & Mertz owner Reinhard Schneider.
“The 3R circular trigger spray pump demonstrates Berry’s sustainable design capabilities and the significant benefits it can bring to our customers,” said Vincent Clauzel, EVP & GM Berry Consumer Packaging International. “We are delighted that our successful partnership with Werner & Mertz has once again been recognised by this prestigious award.”
In September the innovation was honored with the German Packaging Award Award 2022 in the Sustainability category.
Highest standards for the circular economy and performance
Among the goals of the joint project were:
- Minimum use of a homogeneous material (polypropylene) for optimized recyclability
- Maximum use of recyclate with a guarantee of durability and stability
- Modular system design to reduce complexity
The team succeeded on all points and developed a new spray pump that is a record holder in sustainability.
Minimum material use and optimized recyclability
The weight of the spray pump was reduced to a minimum. It is the lightest of its kind, with 18 percent less weight than the conventional trigger-operated spray pumps on the German market. The spray pump is completely recyclable. Its total weight is divided into 97.6 percent polyolefins and just 2.4 percent polyethylene for the valve. Both plastics, categorized in the same polymer group, can be mixed for recycling purposes.
Maximum use of recyclate with high performance
The spray pump is the first to have a high recyclate share (29%) in the functional, interior parts of the pumping mechanism–a technical innovation. The spraying performance has been optimized again and the pump, even more effective than the previous model, provides a minimum of 5,000 pumping actions. That means the pump works with more than 11 at-home refills of an original Frosch bottle.
Modular design reduced complexity
The modular design of the system with different nozzle options allows the user to apply the cleaning product as spray or foam. Eventually, the innovative spray pump will be used for all cleaning product bottles for the Frosch, Green Care Professional and Tana Professional brands.
The cooperation partners again set a recycling standard with this innovation that‘s incredibly lightweight, completely recyclable and made with a good share of Post-Consumer Recyclate in mechanical parts.